Copy paper feeding and refolding guide



y 6, 1970 R. D. MULLER 3,514,096

COPY PAPER FEEDING AND REFOLDING GUIDE Filed Oct. 25, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Robert 0. Muller WWMW ATTORNEY May 26, 1970 R. D. MULLER COPY PAPER FEEDING AND REFOLDING GUIDE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1967 E N 1% \M 0 ATTORNEY y 6, 1970 R. D. MULLER 3,514,096

COPY PAPER FEEDING AND REFOLDING GUIDE Filed Oct. 25, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 4.

INVENTOR.

Robert D. Muller ATTORNEY y 26, 1970 R. D. MULLER 3,514,096

COPY PAPER FEEDING AND REFOLDING GUIDE Filed 0013. 25, 1967 4 Sheets-$heet 4,

Fig. 5.

INVENTOR.

1 Robert 0. Muller WWW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 514 096 COPY PAPER FEEDING ANo REFOLDING GUIDE Robert D. Muller, Binghamton, N.Y., assignor to GAF Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 678,098 Int. Cl. B65h 45/06 US. Cl. 270-61 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a novel device for feeding and folding into pro-determined flat-folded condition, lengthy webs of copy paper processed from the developer section of a photocopying apparatus. In particular, it illustrates an upwardly extending guide or conveyor and a direction reversing guide, which will feed the web into a receptacle. The receptacle includes cooperative projecting portions adapted to impart a folding movement to the web which is vertically descending into the folding receptacle.

This invention relates to improvements in conveying sensitized copy material from a developing apparatus, and, more particularly, in providing a novel and unique feeding guide for conveying lengthy webs of the copy material into a material receiving receptacle in a predetermined flat-folded condition.

Generally, in the use of widely known reproduction machines adapated to provide diazo-type reproductions of an original, the superimposed original and diazo copy paper are conveyed through the printer or imaging portion of the apparatus. The diazo-type copy paper and the original are then separated, the original is conveyed from the apparatus into a suitable receptacle or tray, while the diazo copy paper is passed into the developer section of the apparatus. In essence, the diazo copy paper, while being processed in the developer section, is conveyed along the surface of a developer tank by a moving sealing sleeve which slides along the surface of the developer tank. After the diazo copy paper has been conveyed past the developer tank, the sealing sleeve in cooperation with suitable rolller or belt units, usually directs the developed diazo copy paper toward and into a receptacle or receiving tray.

Essentially, the aforementioned material conveying devices, which include the sealing sleeve and developer tank portions of the apparatus, have proven themselves to be generally satisfactory for many types of sensitized copy papers, and as a result, are in widespread commercial use throughout industry.

Quite frequently, however, extremely lengthy originals must be reproduced on continuous webs of sensitized or diazo-type copy paper. Among these originals may be lengthy tabulating sheets, oil well logging sheets, and the like. Since the length of the originals and copy paper emanating from the developing apparatus is generally much longer than the receiving trays attached thereto, the manual handling thereof may become extremely cumbersome if not outright impossible. Thus, it may be possible to install longer receiving trays for the originals and copy paper. These must be limited in size, however, because of restrictions in external work space. In order to obviate the foregoing problem, or at least to minimize it, an attachment has been developed in conjunction with the receiving trays of existing developing machines, which will roll up originals emerging from the developing apparatus. For a more detailed disclosure of a re-roll attachment utilized in conjunction with the copying of lengthy originals, reference may be had to co-pending US. application Ser. No. 627,153, filed on Mar. 30, 1967.

Although not specifically used in connection with copy paper, the re-roll attachment as described in the aforementioned co-pending application may be utilized in com bination with a receiving tray for the developed copy paper, rather than for the originals. At times, however, it may be desirable to obtain the continuous web of developed copy paper not in the form of a roll but in a more conveniently flat-folded condition. Thus, it may be somewhat more convenient and time-saving to read off or process data from a continuous sheet, such as computer program, statistical table, or oil well logging sheet, which is in a predetermined folded condition and is easier to manually manipulate.

In order to meet the demand in industry for copy paper received from developing apparatuses in a substantially fiat-folded manner, the present invention provides for a novel and unique copy paper guide and fold ing receptacle, adapted to receive continuous webs of copy paper from the sealing sleeve of a developing apparatus, and to guide and fold the copy paper into a predetermined flat folded condition. To this elfect, the copy paper guide and folding receptacle is constructed of a paper receiving guide which will convey the copy paper generally vertically upwards from the sealing sleeve and then reverse the conveying direction to guide the copy paper downwardly. As the copy paper travels downwardly from the receiving guide, it is conveyed into a receptacle. The receptacle contains inwardly extending projections which are adapted to impart a lateral movement to the copy paper and thereby cause it to fold upon itself into a flat folded condition. As the copy paper is precreased at predetermined intervals during manufacture or before processing in the developing apparatus, the copy paper conveyed into the receptacle will be folded into predetermined physical dimensions as required by the particular industrial or commercial application.

A particularly advantageous feature of the present invention is that the novel copy paper receiving guide and folding receptacle may be adapted for use and installed in many existing developing apparatuses Without the need for extensive adjustments or modifications of these apparatuses. Further, after installation and use in conjunction with the developing apparatuses, the inventive guide and folding receptacle may, if not required for the processing of short originals, removed by a simple manipulation readily accomplished by an unskilled or semi-skilled operator. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and unique receiving guide and folding receptacle adapted to fold in a predetermined mannner continuous webs of copy paper emerging from a developing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel copy paper receiving guide adapted to receive a continuous web of copy paper from the sealing sleeve of a developing apparatus and to convey the copy paper into a novel folding tray incorporating means for stacking the copy paper.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel copy paper receiving guide and folding receptacle as described hereinabove, and including belt drive means for conveying the copy paper into the folding receptacle.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a copy paper receiving guide and folding receptacle according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail view, in perspective of the folding receptacle according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a second embodiment of the copy paper receiving guide and folding receptacle according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a third embodiment of the copy paper receiving guide and folding receptacle according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a receiver guide and folding receptacle assembly generally designated as 10, with assembly being attached to a developer apparatus 12.

The developer apparatus 12 includes a sealing sleeve 14 which is entrained about a rotatable drive roller 16. Sealing sleeve 14 is in sliding contact with the surface of a developer tank 18, and is adapted to convey a continuous web of sensitized copy paper W over the developer tank 18 toward a nip roller 20. Generally, when relatively short segments of copy paper are processed through developer apparatus 12, it is conveyed between a sealing sleeve 14 and a cooperative nip roller 20 into a passageway formed by curved guide plate 22 and 24. As a result, the copy paper will be bent and deflected into a forwardly extending are, restricted by an upper wall 26 of developer apparatus 12. Consequently, the copy paper will be conveyed toward a receiving station, which as illustrated in FIG. 1 is comprised of a downwardly inclined receiving tray 28 from which the copy paper may then be removed by an operator.

Occasionally, however, extremely lengthy webs W of sensitized copy paper are conveyed between sealing sleeve 14 and cooperative nip roller 20. The very length of the web W, and the spacewise limitation of receiving tray 28 indicates the need for an attachment which will facilitate the handling of lengthy copy paper webs W. Although a re-roll attachment, as illustrated in co-pending application Ser. No. 627,153 may be used, at times it becomes desirable or necessary to obtain the copy paper web W in a predetermined flat-folded condition.

In order to obtain the folded copy paper Web W, the asembly 10 may include a receiver guide generally designated as reference numeral 30 which is adapted to receive the web W emerging from between sealing sleeve 14 and nip roller 20. Since the receiver guide 30 is positioned above upper wall 26 of developer apparatus 12, straight guide plates 32 and 34 may be utilized in lieu of curved guide plates 22 and 24.

The receiver guide 30 is composed of a plurality of elongate circularly cross-sectioned rigid wire strands 36 which form a pair of lower and upper parallel walls 38 and 39 extending upwardly from upper wall 26 in a somewhat forwardly inclined position. The lower ends of the two extreme end strands in lower wall 38 are bent into a horizontal plane so as to form horizontal extensions 40. The extensions 40 are formed into generally S shaped hooks which project into the developer apparatus 12 through apertures 42 in upper wall 26. This, in effect, allows the receiver guide to be supported by upper wall 26.

The upper ends of the wire strands in walls 38 and 39 are bent into forwardly projecting arcuate wall segments 44 and 46 so that the upwardly inclined passageway formed between the walls 38 and 39 is reversed in direction between wall segments 44 and 46, so as to point downwardly. The wire strand walls 38, 39, 44 and 46 are interconnected by encompassing wire strand crossmembers 48 and 50, as illustrated in FIG. 2, so as to constitute a rigid guide assembly.

As the copy paper web W is conveyed between guide plates 32 and 34, it extends into the passageway formed between wire strand walls 38, 39, 44 and 46 and is conveyed upwardly and then arced forwardly and down toward a web folding receptacle, generally designated as reference numeral 52. The folding receptacle 52, illus- 4 trated in greater detail in FIG. 3 of the drawings, is supported on receiving tray 28 in paper receiving relationship below receiver guide 30. The receiving tray 28 may be pulled out and adjusted to accommodate the folding receptacle 52. When the folding receptacle 52 is removed and only short originals are copied, tray 28 may be pushed back into the developer apparatus 12. Fold ing receptacle 52 is formed of a plurality of parallel spaced upright wire strands 54, which at their upper portion, are inwardly curved into arc-shaped segments 56. The wire strands 54 at their intermediate heights are joined by horizontal wire strands 58 forming the bottom of folding receptacle 52, and which are bent upwards into upright members 60'. The upper ends of wire strand members 60 are bent into inwardly projecting hook portions 62. Suitable wire strand cross-members 64 interconnect the various wire strands 54 and 60' into the rigidly constructed receptacle.

The hook portions 62 project toward the lower portion of arc-shaped segments 56, approximately where the latter join upright strand portions 54. When the copy paper web W is conveyed into folding receptacle 52, as the web passes arcuate segments 56, it is biased laterally toward hook portions 62. In turn, hook portions 62 will tend to bias or deflect the web W in the other direction, thus imparting a swivelling motion thereto and thereby folding the web out of its path of vertically downward movement. If the copy paper web W is precreased transversely at predetermined intervals, it will be folded by the cooperative action of projecting hook portions 62 and arcuate segments 56 into a predetermined folded dimension and deposited on the bottom strands 58 of folding receptacle 52.

When the trailing edge of copy paper web W passes the sealing sleeve 14 and co-acting nip roller 20, it remains stationary within receiver guide 30 until manually pulled and folded into folding receptacle 52. In view of the possibility that the operator may not always be readily available, and since successive webs W fed through the receiver guide 30 may interfere and jam up with the trailing edge of the preceding web W, FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrates a movable conveyor guide generally designated as 70, in lieu of receiver guide 30.

In this particular embodiment, the conveyor guide includes a pair of spaced, upwardly extending stationary side frame members '72 (only one shown), mounted on the upper wall 26 of developer apparatus 12. A pair of counter-rotatable rollers 74, 76 are mounted toward the lower end of frame members 72 and journaled therebetween, while a similar pair of rollers 78, 80 are journaled between the frame members 72 adjacent to the upper end. A pair of endless conveyor belts 82, 84 are each entrained respectively about rollers 74, 78 and 76, 80, so as to have the adjoining belt surfaces in surface engaging contact. A small electric motor 86 may be mounted on upper wall 26 and connected to, for example, roller 76 by a belt 77. If rollers 74 and 76 are interconnected by a suitable gear drive, rotation of a drive shaft 88 of the motor 86 will drive conveyor belts 82 and 84. Consequently, as the paper web W passes from sealing sleeve 14 and ni roller 20, it is engaged by the belts 82 and 84, and conveyed upwardly therebetween toward an arcuate guide member generally illustrated as reference numeral 90. Guide member 90 may be comprised of two generally parallel curved sheet metal plates 92, 94 adapted to form a passageway 96 into which the web W is fed by conveyor belts 82, 84. The sheet metal plates may be mounted onto and extend between side frame members 72. As illustrated, the exit end of guide member 90 is positioned above folding receptacle 52, the latter of which is identical to that used in the previous embodiment. Accordingly, a positive feed is imparted to the web W as it moves upward past sealing sleeve 14 until it reaches upper rollers 78, 80 at which time it slides through guide member 90 into folding receptacle 52 under the influence of gravity.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. of the drawings, this is quite similar in construction and operation to that described with reference to FIG. 4. The primary distinction lies in that, whereas the conveyor belts 82, 84 in FIG. 4 are driven by an electric motor 86 mounted on upper wall 26 of developer apparatus 12, the present embodiment eliminates the need for a separate motor 86. In this instance, the belts 82, 84 are driven in conjunction with the rotation of sealing sleeve 14, by providing a drive connection between sealing sleeve drive roller 16 and one of paired rollers 74 or 76, the former of which are interconnected by a suitable belt 75. In the present embodiment, rotation of sealing sleeve 14, how ever, must be continued after the trailing edge of web W has passed, until the trailing edge is conveyed past rollers 78, 80 toward guide member 90.

It should also be understood that the foregoing relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination'with a photocopying apparatus of the tye wherein a continuous web of exposed sensitized material precreased at predetermined intervals is conveyed through a developer station and toward a receiving station, the improvement which comprises:

a receiving and folding guide means supported by said photocopying apparatus which is adapted to receive and fold said sensitized material when it is conveyed toward said receiving station said receiving and folding guide means comprising,

a guide member including a first portion for conveying said material in a generally upwardly extending direction, and a second portion receiving said material from said first portion, said second portion including a direction reversing section adapted to guide said material into a generally downward direction,

receptacle means adapted to receive material from said second portion,

said receptacle means including projecting means imparting a folding motion to said material during conveyance into said receptacle, so as to convey said material into said receptacle in a sub stantially fiat folded condition; wherein said receptacle means includes a generally flat bottom wall portion, generally upright side wall portions joined to said bottom wall portion, said side wall portions including a first side wall portion joined to one edge of said bottom wall portion, and a second side wall portion joined to the opposite edge of said bottom wall portion and extending in parallel spaced relation to said first side wall portion; and wherein said projecting means comprise said first side wall portion having an inwardly curved arcuate upper portion, and said second side wall portion having an inwardly extending upper hooked portion in proximity to the lower part of said curved arcuate portion, said curved arcuate portion and said hooked portion being adapted to impart a laterally folding movement to said material being conveyed into said receptaclemeans.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,214,160 10/1965 Knudsen 270-52.5 3,255,662 6/1966 Call 270-69 3,276,766 10/1966 Cambert 270-39 3,363,895 1/1968 Abe et al. 270-61 OTHER REFERENCES IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 4, No. 1, June 1961, Fan-Fold Paper Rack, W. K. David.

EUGENE R. CA POZIO, Primary Examiner P. V. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 270-525 

